Method of forming bent heat dissipating unit and apparatus therefor

ABSTRACT

In a method of forming bent heat dissipating unit, the following steps are included: putting a plurality of radiating fins on and around a straight heat pipe to form a heat dissipating unit; engaging the heat dissipating unit with a forming die assembly, so that a plurality of locating die units sequentially arranged on a carrier of the assembly are separately positioned in a space between two adjacent radiating fins; pressing the engaged heat dissipating unit and forming die assembly against a forming block; and driving a processing machine connected to the carrier of the forming die assembly to change the arrangement of the locating die units and thereby bend the heat dissipating unit to a shape corresponding to a profile of the forming block. An apparatus for forming the bent heat dissipating unit through the above steps is also provided.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming bentheat dissipating unit for use on a computer and/or communication relatedproduct, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for forming abent heat pipe with a plurality of radiating fins equally space thereonin an easy and economical manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

To enable efficient and effective dissipation of heat transmitted to aheat pipe forming a radiating device, the heat pipe is conventionallydivided into three portions, namely, a heat dissipating end, a heattransmitting section, and a heat source connecting end. Normally, theheat pipe is subjected to particular machining to form these threeportions. The heat source connecting end is connected to a heat source,so that heat is transmitted from the heat source via the heat sourceconnecting end to the heat transmitting section and the heat dissipatingend, at where heat is dissipated using a cooling fan. The heatdissipating end of the heat pipe may be differently shaped, such as in acircular form, a semicircular form, etc., to increase a dissipating areathereof.

The heat pipe may be made of copper, aluminum, or other metal materials.In the heat pipe, there is contained a highly heat-conducting liquid orpure water, or a special type of metal, such as yttrium, barium, etc.,or other materials with super-high heat conductivity. When the highlyheat-conducting material contained in the heat pipe is heated, themolecules thereof are caused to oscillate at high speed and rub with oneanother, so as to extremely quickly transmit heat in a wavelike motion.That is why the heat pipe has a heat transmission rate much higher thangeneral radiating fins, and is also referred to as the super heat pipe.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a conventional way of forming a curved dissipatingheat pipe for a radiating device. To increase the dissipating area, aheat pipe 11 is first bent to a curved shape, and a plurality ofradiating fins 12 are then assembled to the curved heat pipe 11 one byone. Since the radiating fins 12 must be manually assembled to thecurved heat pipe 11 one by one, the curved heat pipe 11 could not bemass-produced and requires very high labor cost. In the event theradiating fins 12 are mounted on the curved heat pipe 11 by way of tightfitting, an extended mounting time is required. On the other hand, ifthe radiating fins 12 are mounted on the curved heat pipe 11 by way ofloose fitting, the radiating fins 12 must be further soldered to theheat pipe 11 to increase the labor and material costs of the heat pipe11.

It is therefore tried by the inventor to develop a method and apparatusfor forming bent heat dissipating unit to eliminate the drawbacksexisted in the conventional way of forming a curved heat pipe.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a method andapparatus for forming bent heat dissipating unit, with which a pluralityof radiating fins could be easily equally spaced on a bent heat pipe.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method andapparatus for forming bent heat dissipating unit, with which a heatdissipating unit can be mechanically bent to different shapes to providean enhanced heat dissipating effect and an increased flexibility in theuse of the heat dissipating unit.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a method andapparatus for forming bent heat dissipating unit, which can be easilyimplemented or operated to shorten the time needed to bend a heatdissipating unit.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a methodand apparatus for forming bent heat dissipating unit, with whichdeformation of the heat pipe and radiating fins in the process ofbending the heat dissipating unit is minimized.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a methodand apparatus for forming bent heat dissipating unit, with which thecost for processing the heat dissipating unit is reduced.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a heatdissipating unit that would not unnecessarily occupy too much space.

To achieve the above and other objects, an apparatus for forming bentheat dissipating unit according to the present invention includes aforming die assembly, a forming block, and an oil press. And, a methodof forming bent heat dissipating pipe according to the present inventionincludes the following steps: putting a plurality of radiating fins onand around a straight heat pipe to form a heat dissipating unit;engaging the heat dissipating unit with a forming die assembly, so thata plurality of locating die units sequentially arranged on a carrier ofthe assembly are separately positioned in a space between two adjacentradiating fins; pressing the heat dissipating unit and the forming dieassembly against a forming block; and driving an oil machine connectedto the carrier of the forming die assembly to change the arrangement ofthe locating die units and thereby bend the heat dissipating unit to ashape corresponding to a profile of the forming block.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present inventionto achieve the above and other objects can be best understood byreferring t6 the following detailed description of the preferredembodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein

FIG. 1 shows a conventional manner of mounting radiating fins on acurved heat pipe to increase the dissipating area of the heat pipe;

FIG. 2 shows the heat pipe of FIG. 1 with radiating fins mountedthereon;

FIG. 3 schematically shows a heat dissipating unit prior to bendingusing the method and apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 4 schematically shows the heat dissipating unit of FIG. 3 havingbeen bent using the method and apparatus of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 schematically shows the bending of a heat dissipating unit to anS-shape using the method and apparatus of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 3 and 4 that show the bending of a heatdissipating unit using a method and apparatus according to a preferredembodiment of the present invention. As shown, the apparatus for bendinga heat dissipating unit 21 according to the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention includes a forming die assembly 22, a forming block23, and a processing machine 24.

The heat dissipating unit 21 includes a heat pipe 211, which isoriginally a straight pipe, and a plurality of radiating fins 212sequentially put on and around the straight heat pipe 211.

The forming die assembly 22 includes a plurality of locating die units221 and a carrier 222. The locating die units 221 are sequentiallyconnected to one another using the carrier 222, so that the locating dieunits 221 are arranged side by side on the carrier 222. It is noted anytwo adjacent locating die units 221 on the carrier 222 are pivotallyconnected at an end to each other via a pivot 223, so that the formingdie assembly 22 consisting of a series of pivotally connected locatingdie units 221 on the carrier 222 can be actively curved to facilitatebending or curving of the heat dissipating unit 21, as will be describedhereinafter. All the locating die units 221 are identical in size, andare therefore useful in equally spacing the radiating fins 212 on theheat pipe 211. When it is desired to increase or decrease the spacebetween any two adjacent radiating fins 212, simply change the size ofthe locating die units 221.

When the locating die units 221 of the forming die assembly aresequentially located in a space between two adjacent radiating fins 212on the heat pipe 211, the heat dissipating unit 21 with the forming dieassembly 22 engaged therewith is pressed and bent against an outersurface of the forming block 23, so as to have a shape corresponding toa profile of the forming block 23. It is appreciable that the number ofthe forming blocks 23 may be increased depending on actual need inprocessing the heat dissipating unit 21. A variety of heat dissipatingunits 21 with changeful shapes may be produced through thoughtfuldesigns and proper adjustment and allocation of the forming blocks 23,so as to achieve enhanced heat dissipating and radiating effect, andgive the heat dissipating unit 21 an increased flexibility in the usethereof.

The processing machine 24, which is an oil press in the illustratedembodiment, is connected to the carrier 222 of the forming die assemblyfor changing a manner in which the locating die units 221 is arranged onthe carrier 222.

In a method of the present invention for bending the heat dissipatingunit 21, the following steps are included:

-   -   (a) sequentially putting a plurality of radiating fins 212 on        and around a straight heat pipe 211 to form a heat dissipating        unit 21;    -   (b) separately positioning a plurality of locating die units 221        arranged on a carrier of a forming die assembly into a space        between two adjacent radiating fins 212 on the heat pipe 211, so        as to engage the forming die assembly with the heat dissipating        unit;    -   (c) extending two ends of the carrier 222 of the forming die        assembly 22 through the forming block 23 to connect them to the        processing machine 24, that is, the oil press; and    -   (d) driving the processing machine 24 to press the forming die        assembly 22 against the forming block 23, so that the heat        dissipating unit 21 engaged with the forming die assembly is        bent to have a shape corresponding to a profile of the forming        block 23.

Please refer to FIG. 5 that shows the bending of a heat dissipating unitusing a method and apparatus according to another embodiment of thepresent invention. In this embodiment, a first and a second formingblock 23, 25 are included to bend the heat dissipating unit 21 into anS-shape. To ensure good connection of the carrier 222 to the processingmachine 24 to complete the S-shaped bending, the carrier 222 isparticularly extended through two guide rollers 261, 262 provided atpredetermined points between the forming blocks 23, 25 and theprocessing machine 24, which is also an oil press in this embodiment.

In the present invention, it is also possible to provide an oil press 24on each forming block 23, 25, so that the forming block 23, 25 could beindependently driven to bend the heat dissipating unit 21 in the processof forming a bent heat dissipating unit 21.

The present invention is superior to the prior art for the followingadvantages and effects:

-   -   1. The radiating fins can be more easily put on the straight        heat pipe to constitute a heat dissipating unit, and the heat        dissipating unit could then be bent into a desired shape through        simplified procedures using the forming block and the processing        machine.    -   2. It is not necessary to manually mount the radiating fins on        the bent heat pipe one by one. Different processing machines        could be employed at different stages to assemble, bend, and        shape the heat dissipating unit, allowing the bent heat        dissipating units to be mass-produced.    -   3. In the method of the present invention, when the radiating        fins on the heat pipe of the heat dissipating unit are pressed        against the forming block through an action of the forming die        assembly, since the radiating fins are very closely spaced on        the heat pipe, they are not subjected to any undesirable        deformation due to a normal acting force applied by the forming        die assembly toward the center of circle of the forming block.        To the contrary, the closely spaced radiating fins on the heat        pipe facilitate the bending of the heat dissipating unit.

The present invention has been described with some preferred embodimentsthereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in thedescribed embodiments can be carried out without departing from thescope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limitedonly by the appended claims.

1. A method of forming bent heat dissipating unit, comprising the stepsof: (a) sequentially putting a plurality of radiating fins on and arounda straight heat pipe to form a heat dissipating unit; (b) separatelypositioning a plurality of locating die units of a forming die assemblyinto a space between two adjacent ones of said radiating fins on saidheat pipe; wherein said locating die units are sequentially arrangedside by side on a carrier of said forming die assembly, and any twoadjacent ones of said locating die units are pivotally connected at anend to each other via a pivot; (c) extending two ends of said carrier ofsaid forming die assembly through a forming block to connect to aprocessing machine; and (d) driving said processing machine to presssaid forming die assembly against said forming block, so that said heatdissipating unit located between said forming die assembly and saidforming block is bent to a shape corresponding to a profile of saidforming block.
 2. An apparatus for forming bent heat dissipating unit,comprising: a heat dissipating unit formed from a straight heat pipe anda plurality of radiating fins put on and around said heat pipe; aforming die assembly including a carrier, and a plurality of locatingdie units sequentially arranged side by side on said carrier; and anytwo adjacent ones of said locating die unit being pivotally connected toeach other via a pivot; a first forming block, against which said heatdissipating unit with said locating die units of said forming dieassembly separately positioned between two adjacent ones of saidradiating fins is pressed to form a shape corresponding to a profile ofsaid first forming block; and a processing machine being connected totwo ends of said carrier of said forming die assembly for changing amanner in which said locating die units are arranged on said carrier. 3.The apparatus for forming bent heat dissipating unit as claimed in claim2, wherein said processing machine comprises an oil press.
 4. Theapparatus for forming bent heat dissipating unit as claimed in claim 2,wherein said first forming block is provided with an oil press forindependently driving said first forming block to bend said heatdissipating unit in the process of forming a bent heat dissipating unit.5. The apparatus for forming bent heat dissipating unit as claimed inclaim 2, further comprising a second forming block for cooperating withsaid first forming block to bend said heat dissipating unit to anS-shape.
 6. The apparatus for forming bent heat dissipating unit asclaimed in claim 5, wherein said second forming block is provided withan oil press for independently driving said second forming block to bendsaid heat dissipating unit in the process of forming a bent heatdissipating unit.